[Event "?

"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "?"]
[Black "?"]
[Result "*"]
1.e4 c5 2.Nc3 Nc6 3.g3 g6 4.Bg2 Bg7 5.d3 d6 6.f4
{Spassky's Mainline.}
6...e6
{Black wants to develop in such a way to stop the f5-pawn
break. This way of developing his pieces also help control d4.
}
7.Nf3 Nge7 8.O-O O-O 9.Be3 Nd4
{Stopping d4.}
10.e5 Nef5
( 10...dxe5 {Releaves tension too soon. White should get good
play by using the e4 square for his knight.} 11.fxe5 {White
now has the f6 square and Black should decide where to put his
knights.}
( 11.Nxe5 {This approach shouldnt give problems to Black.}
11...Rb8 {Black wants to fianchetto with b6 as to keep
control over c5.} 12.Ne4 b6 13.c3 {Whenever White plays
this he should be worried about d3.}
( 13.a4!? {This move may be better.} 13...Qc7 14.Nc4
Ba6 15.c3 Ndf5 16.Bf2 Nd5 17.Qe2 Rfd8 18.a5 Bb5 19.Ne5
Be8 20.axb6 axb6 {Black is solid and without any
problems.} )
13...Ndf5 14.Bf2 )
11...Nec6
( 11...Nef5 {This move seems to leave Black completely
fine.} 12.Bf2
( 12.Bf4 {This is why White should put his efforts in
Bf4!} 12...Nxf3+ 13.Qxf3 g5 14.Bc1 Bxe5 15.Ne4 f6 16.
c3 {According to Palliser this should provide White
enough compensation.} )
12...Rb8 13.Ne4 Nxf3+ 14.Qxf3 b6 {This was fine for Black.
} )
12.Ne4 Nxf3+ 13.Bxf3 Nxe5 14.Bxc5 Re8 15.Bg2 Nd7 16.Ba3 {
King's suggestion.}
( 16.Be3 {According to Palliser this promises White good
dark square play.} 16...Bxb2 17.Rb1 Bg7
( 17...Be5 18.d4 Bg7 {This would be the best move,
however it is unlogical and inconsisten with Be5.}
( 18...Bb8 {This move with the idea to control the
d6 square.} 19.Qd2 {Palliser's recommendation.
However Black can cover his kingside with f5.}
( 19.Bg5 {However I find this move as a
stronger alternative.} 19...Qa5 20.Bf6 {White
has perfect control of the dark squares and he
should not worry about the possibility of
Black sacing the exchange for the dark squared
bishop with Nxf6.} 20...Qxa2??
( 20...Bc7 21.Qf3 {White has a strong
initiative.} )
21.Qc1! {White wins.} 21...Bd6 22.Nxd6 Nxf6
23.Ra1 )
19...f5 20.Bg5 Qc7 21.Bf4 Qd8 22.Nd6 Bxd6 23.Bxd6
{White is surely better due to his monster bishops

and pressure over the queenside, however Black is

solid on the kingside.} )
)
18.Nd6 )
16...Bxb2 )
( 10...Bd7 {Is a creative idea. Black wants to get the bishop
into c6 from where it is very active. It also justified
tactically.} 11.Nxd4
( 11.exd6 {White should mantain the central tension, this
move gives equality to Black.} 11...Nef5 12.Bf2 Bc6 13.Ne4
Nxf3+ 14.Bxf3 b6 {Black will get his pawn back and
equality.} )
( 11.Ne4 Nef5 12.Bf2 Bc6 {Black improves his position and
keeps the tension.}
( 12...dxe5? 13.Nxe5 b6 14.g4! {Black is in trouble
along the long diagonal.} 14...Nh6 15.c3 Nc6 16.g5 Nf5
17.Ng4 {This looks at least scary if not losing for
Black.} )
( 12...Nxf3+ {However Palliser suggests this as the
best move order.} 13.Bxf3 Bc6
( 13...dxe5?! 14.fxe5 {This of course favors
White.} 14...b6 15.Nf6+ Bxf6 16.exf6 Rc8 17.g4 Nd4
18.Be4 {White's pawn on f6 is like a bone in
Black's throat.} 18...Qxf6?? {This move may seem
logical and the refutation is not so clear, at
least not a 1 move tactic.} 19.c3 Nc6 20.Bxc5 Qg5
21.Bxf8 Rxf8 {White is the exchange up and
shouldnt worry about his dark squares as Black
doesnt have his own DSQ bishop and even in that
case I still think White could defend.} )
14.c3 )
)
11...cxd4 12.Bxd4 dxe5 13.Bxe5?? Qb6+! 14.Kh1 f6 {Trapping the
bishop.} )
( 10...Nec6?! {Is a rare and not promising idea as White can
capture on c5 and take over the central dark squares.} 11.Ne4
dxe5
( 11...Nf5 {Black tried to improve with this move yet
White got a pleasant edge.} 12.Bf2 dxe5 13.fxe5
( 13.Bxc5?! exf4 {This would be a interesting exchange
sac as control over the dark squares is important in
this position.} )
13...Nxe5 14.Bxc5 {White has good play on the dark
squares.} 14...Nxf3+ 15.Qxf3 Bd4+?! {Black tried this to
try and get some control on the dark squares however White
was ready to meet it.} 16.Kh1 Bxc5 17.Nxc5 Qd4 18.Ne4 {And
now Black played a horrible move.} 18...Ne3? 19.c3 Qb6 20.
Nf6+ Kh8 21.Qf4 Nf5 22.g4 Qxb2 23.gxf5 Qxc3 24.Qh6 {1-0.
This was a model explotation of the weak dark squares
around the Black king.} )
12.Nxe5 Nxe5 13.fxe5 Bxe5 14.c3 Nf5 15.Bxc5 Re8 16.d4 )
( 10...Qb6 {This move was thought to be promising... However
Balashov (Russian GM)had some impressive results with 11.Rb1}
11.Rb1 Nef5 12.Bf2 Nxf3+ 13.Qxf3 {This move looks weird,
however it is better than Bxf3.} 13...dxe5
( 13...Nd4 14.Qd1 dxe5 15.fxe5 Bxe5 16.Ne4 {Transposes to
lines where Black takes on e5 first.} )
14.fxe5 Bxe5 15.Ne4 Nd4
( 15...Bd7? {This is a rare move.} 16.Bxc5 Bd4+ 17.Kh1 {
When White can answer Bxc5 with Nf6.} 17...Bxc5?? 18.Nf6+

Kg7 19.Nxd7 Qd6 20.Nxf8 )

16.Qd1 f5 17.Nd2 Qc7
( 17...Bf6 {This is the engine's top move. Black in this
line chooses to return the pawn.} 18.c3 Nc6 19.Nc4 Qc7
( 19...Qb5? {This loses a piece.} 20.a4 Qa6 21.b4 cxb4
22.cxb4 {White threatens the b5 fork and b5 trapping
the queen.} )
20.Bxc5 )
18.c3 Nb5 19.Qe2 {White has compensation for the pawn, he
threatens d4 right now.} )
11.Bf2 Nxf3+
{A logical move, freeing d4 for the other knight.}
( 11...Bd7 {This is an important alternative.} )
( 11...Rb8 {Black can try fianchettoing his queen's bishop,
however this is slow. And should be met energetically.} 12.Ne4
Nxf3+ 13.Qxf3 b6 14.g4 Bb7 {Gives Black very promising chances
on the kingside.} 15.Qh3 Bxe4 16.dxe4 Nd4 17.Bh4 Qd7 18.exd6
Nxc2 19.Rad1 {White seems to be doing perfectly fine. Despite
the strong knight on d4.} 19...Nd4
( 19...Bd4+?? {Loses to a beatiful exchange sac.} 20.Rxd4
Nxd4 21.Bf6 h5 22.e5 {White's control over the dark
squares is simply winning.} )
20.e5 )
( 11...d5 {Black may close the position with d5. White gets
the advantage here.} 12.Nxd4 cxd4
( 12...Nxd4 13.Na4 {Then this move is strong.} 13...b6 14.
b4 {Black should be careful here as he can easily go
wrong.} 14...Bd7
( 14...f6 {This sacs a pawn, however it seems to give
Black some play for the pawn.} 15.bxc5 fxe5 16.fxe5
Nc6 17.d4 Ba6 18.Re1 {I dont think it is enough
compensation tho.} 18...Bb5 19.Nb2 bxc5 20.c4 Ba6
( 20...dxc4 {Is a sharp continuation which
benefits White.} 21.a4 Ba6 22.Bxc6 Rxf2 23.Kxf2
Rb8 24.Rb1 c3 25.d5 cxb2 26.dxe6 Bd3 {Is
supposedly the best move.} 27.e7 Qd4+ 28.Kg2 c4
29.Re2 Qc5 30.Rexb2 Rxb2+ 31.Rxb2 Qxc6+ 32.Qf3
Qxf3+ 33.Kxf3 Kf7 34.e6+ Kxe7 35.Rb7+ Kf8 36.Rf7+
Kg8 37.Rxa7 {This endgame should be winning for
White.} )
21.cxd5 exd5 )
15.c4 {Black is under great pressure.} )
13.Ne2 Ne3 14.Bxe3 dxe3 15.d4 {Qd3 wins the e3 pawn.} )
12.Qxf3!
{This is supposed to be the correct recapture. White shouldnt
worry about Nd4 as his pieces gain activity.}
( 12.Bxf3?! dxe5 13.fxe5
( 13.Bxc5?! exf4! {A nice exchange sac.} 14.Bxf8 Qxf8 15.
Qe1?
( 15.gxf4 {This was the only move, however Black is
simply better after Bd4+ followed by Ne3.} )
15...fxg3 16.hxg3 Bd4+ 17.Kh2 Qh6+ {0-1.} )
13...Bxe5 14.Bxc5 Bd4+ 15.Bxd4 Qxd4+ {Is comfortable for
Black.} )
12...Nd4
{Forcing the queen to retreat.}
( 12...Bd7!? {Intending Bc6 leads to an interesting game.} 13.
Qxb7 Rb8 14.Qxa7 Rxb2 15.Rac1 dxe5 16.Qa3 {White should arise
a pawn up.} 16...Qb8 {This move holds the pawn for the time
being, but not forever.}

( 16...Rb8! 17.Bxc5 exf4 18.Rxf4! {Offering the exchange

sac in return.}
( 18.Bxf8 Bxf8 19.Qa7 fxg3 20.hxg3 Nxg3 {White is in
big trouble, not only are his dark square weak bust
Black has 3 passers on the kingside which give more
than enough compensation (Black is winning).} )
18...Bh6
( 18...Qc7 {Is a more sensible move.} 19.Rc4 Rfc8 20.
Bf2 Qd8 {Isnt clear as White doesnt consolidates yet.}
)
19.Ne4 {Is promising because of the weaknesses on f6.} )
17.Rb1 Rxb1 18.Rxb1 Qc8 19.fxe5 Bxe5 20.Ne4 )
13.Qd1 dxe5
{Accepting the challenge.}
( 13...d5 14.Na4 {Transposes to the 11...d5 line.} 14...b6 15.
b4 )
14.fxe5
{White is now ready to take advantage of the e4-square.}
14...Bxe5
{Declining the gambit promises nothing but suffering.}
( 14...Bd7? 15.Ne4 {Black tries to find some sort of
counterplay with this bishop manouver, however White gets good
play.} 15...Ba4 16.b3 Bc6 17.c3 Nb5 18.Bxc5 )
( 14...Rb8 {Black can also decline the gambit with Rb8 but
this run into White's hands.} 15.Ne4 b6 16.Nf6+ Bxf6
( 16...Kh8 {Ignoring the knight is suicidal.} 17.c3 Nf5
18.g4 Ne7 19.Qf3 Bb7 20.Qh3 )
17.exf6 Qxf6 18.c3 Nf5 19.g4 Nd6 20.Bxc5 {White not only wins
the pawn but his dark squares are pretty strong.} )
15.Ne4
{Black' cant hold onto the pawn because White threatens c3.}
15...f5 16.Nxc5 Qd6
{This is the theoritical answer.}
( 16...Qc7 {The more common move.} )
( 16...f4 {And this agressive looking f4 push.} 17.c3
( 17.gxf4 {Risky as the king is now without his pawn
shield, altough he has 2 bishops to protect him instead.}
17...Bxf4 18.c3 Nf5 19.Qe2 {The position is around equal,
tho White should be a tiny tiny bit better.} )
17...f3 18.cxd4 fxg2 19.Kxg2 Bxd4 20.Bxd4 Rxf1 21.Qxf1 Qxd4
22.Qf2 Qxf2+ 23.Kxf2 {This reaches a drawn endgame.} )
17.b4
{This is the main move and probably the only one in this
position.}
17...Nc6
{And this is the main move.}
( 17...Nb5 18.a4 Nc3 19.Qd2 f4 )
( 17...Rb8 18.c3 Nb5 19.d4 Bf6 20.Qb3 b6 21.Nd3 {White should
be better.} )
( 17...Bg7 18.a4 {White wants to pressure the queenside.}
18...e5
( 18...a5? {White wins a pawn with this move.} 19.c3 Nc6
20.b5 Ne7 21.Bxb7 )
19.c3 Nc6 20.a5 )
*